How to DJ Hip-Hop

Summary: Hip hop music has a unique ability to get people bobbing their heads, feeling the groove, dancing to the beat. A DJ’s job is to keep that beat seamless and uninterrupted all night long. You can tell a master turntable artist not by his highly technical scratching skills, but rather by how well he mixes beats and songs together, creating the perfect playlist for a night out on the town.

In this free hip hop DJ music video series, learn some of the fundamental mixing and turntable skills necessary to play a night club or party. First, get tips on what equipment you need: Technics turntables, a two-channel mixer, some record needles. Then, discover the basic techniques for mixing two songs together, including beat per minute counting, beat matching, and transitions with the crossfader. Once you have the important skills mastered, learn the fun stuff: cutting and scratching. Put it all together, practice, and go out and get a DJ gig!